The National Farmers and Fishermen Award Winners Association of Ghana (NFFAWAG) is to launch a strategic document to support government’s agriculture agenda.

The framework would promote agriculture through invaluable contributions, advocate for national interest of farmers by influencing international conventions, protocols and agreements in relation to agriculture.

The president of NFFAWAG, Mr Davies Narh Korboe, speaking to the Ghanaian Times in Accra, said the association had supported governments’ efforts at promoting agriculture through invaluable contributions such as consultative advice and the provision of inputs.

“As an association whose members have immense experience in their fields of farming and fishing, we consider it a national duty to support government in a much greater manner to see to the development of agriculture, an industry we all agree is the backbone of the nation’s economy,” he said.

Mr Korboe said agriculture has been identified as an economic pillar of the country.

According to him, agriculture contributes up to 35 per cent of Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and employs about 60 per cent of active labour force and accounts for about 60 per cent of foreign exchange.

However, Mr Korboe said the association was currently working on new investment drive to venture into the country’s agricultural sector with its technical expertise.

He added that ”for this reason we are re-organising to make our voices heard louder and our contributions noticed greater, with a new clear strategic direction aimed at supporting government agenda of making Ghana an agriculture hub”.

The NFFAWAG was formed in 1998 and currently has more than 24,000 members.

The association consists of farmers and fishermen, who have distinguished themselves in their respective agricultural fields, and have won recognition in national, district and specialised areas, since the establishment of the Farmer’s Day scheme.